Apologies for my non scientific description of this problem but it is hard to describe:

Car: '55 reg Octy 4x4 1.9 TDI Estate

My wife, daughter and myself are currently down in Newcastle visiting family, we drive down from Aberdeen without any issues, car was great - it has been great since we bought it in Feb of this year.

On Saturday I was in a supermarket car park, started the engine and went to pull out of a parking space, I had full lock to the left on and was pulling away in 1st gear as usual when suddenly the car acted like the handbrake was on and started shaking - the engine was really struggling, I didn't know what was happening, checked the handbrake - off - checked the gear, I was in 1st, I dipped the clutch and still juddering so I turned the engine off and on again and it was fine - then fine for the next 100 or so miles until today in Metrocentre Toys r' us car park, again started engine, full lock one way and went to pull away and it did the same....this time I turned the engine off and there was a crack from the front left wheel as if something was binding or jammed - as soon as I restarted it was fine again and has been fine since, I can't feel anything - I tried to simulate it again by driving round the car park, stopping and starting but all was fine.....brakes are fine.....any ideas??

It was really strange, all I can liken it to was like trying to rip out the clutch with the handbrake on as the engine was working hard but shaking and the car wouldn't move but handbrake was definately off and I had no warning lights on the dash..

Thanks,

Dan

Our car is like this one:

Edited 14 July, 200916 yr by Race Blue vRS

Would you please elaborate on "I dipped the clutch and still juddering" in first episode? You were in 1st gear, handbrakes off, car blocked, motor juddering and yet same engine juddering when detached from transmission via clutch?

I would get the wheel bearings checked....

Sounds like a problem with the power steering pump when you went on full lock. I'm not an expert, but I'd guess there could be a release valve to stop the power steering going on trying to turn the wheels when they've gone as far as they can - or maybe a bit of software to do the same. Whatever, I think the clue is that you were on full lock, which points the finger at the power steering.

I had a similar behaviour in an Octy I (Engine labouring while rolling and cracking noises) just before the rivets in the front diff sheared. It got a gearbox, clutch and final drive to get back on the road again. That fault manifested as a ticking noise while rolling with the engine on overrun with a couple of weird pops from the wheels while cornering - these were so few and far between that I was never sure whether I'd just hit a bump mid bend or something was wrong. The problem you describe sounds more like a CV joint, wheel bearing or a very weird ABS fault leaving wheels locked for no reason.

Just driven it all day without any problems....strange!

I'll have to take more notice next time it happens, if it does.....

Thanks for all your comments.....hope it's not serious!

Could be the battery starting to fail. The power steering, especially on full lock puts a massive strain on the battery. The voltage drop could cause all kinds of issues with other circuits.